Cargo movement from Brazilian public ports grew 5.68% in 2020 compared to 2019: 447.1 million tons of cargo were handled last year compared to the 423 million tons handled in 2019. Most of the main port authorities that concentrate about 80% of leasing contracts in national ports recorded positive figures, showing that not did the sector survive during the pandemic, but it even managed to grow. Largest port complex in the Southern Hemisphere, the Port of Santos registered a 9.3% increase in cargo handling compared to 2019, with 146.5 million tons of cargo handled in 2020. Companhia Docas do Rio de Janeiro (CDRJ) saw its cargo movement grow by 46%. Another highlight was the Port of Ilhéus, belonging to the Companhia das Docas do Estado do Bahia (CODEBA). Its growth in cargo handling was 118.4% since 2019. The Companhia Docas do Pará (CDP) ports recorded a 10% increase in cargo handled.The largest growth was at Vila do Conde, which went from 14.8 million to 16.2 million tons handled. Another complex that set a new cargo-handling record was the Port of Suape: 25.6 million tons were handled in 2020, an increase of 7.53% compared to 2019 when the port handled 23.8 million tons. The Port of Itaqui reached the end of 2020 breaking a record set in 2019 and closed the year 2020 with 25.3 million tons of cargo handled. The Port of Imbituba handled 5.8 million tons, a volume 1.8% higher than the volume handled in 2019. The most-handled cargo for the period were petroleum coke, soybeans, iron ore, containers, corn, salt, and urea. In all, there were 228 ship moorings in 2020. Also in the south, the Ports of Paranaguá and Antonina (PR) broke the previous record by 8%, handling 57.3 million loads. In Fortaleza, Companhia Docas do Ceará closed 2020 setting several records in the Port of Fortaleza.
Source: Datamar News